


Owned

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Captivity, M/M, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 21:58:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8595391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Hux keeps Poe as a pet.





	

In the first few days after the First Order had acquired the Resistance pilot, Hux had first considered inking the symbol of the First Order onto Poe's arm to stake his claim, but then Starkiller had burned and Hux decides that his plaything will burn, too. The pilot hisses at the pain, but the look of disgust and horror on his face when he realizes that he now bears the mark of his enemies is what truly sends a dark thrill through Hux. The pilot is his. 

The thrill of dark pleasure only lasts for so long before Hux feels the need to mark the pilot again. A First Order shuttle and TIE fighter are destroyed. Hux gives Poe two lashes for every life taken by the Resistance. The sight of Poe's back marked with welts and blood is not as lovely as the sight of seared flesh that bears the mark of the First Order. So, Hux uses Poe's blood to crudely draw the First Order mark over Poe's back with surprisingly gentle fingertips. Again, he shows Poe his handy work and grins wickedly at the angry and disgusted twist of Poe's lips.

He loves seeing the open expressions on Poe's face, revels in hearing the curses fall from his lips. The Resistance rhetoric that spews from Poe's mouth at other times wears on Hux after a while, and he slips a gag into his mouth with the threat that if Poe will not cease then Hux will sew his mouth shut. It takes a couple of days after the gag is removed for Poe to curse him out again, obviously still convinced of that Hux's threat was genuine - Hux is not sure that it was not. The curses being thrown at Hux are beautiful in Hux's opinion, or at least Poe's voice is. Hux merely tangles his fingers in Poe's hair and roughly shoves his face into the pillows in response. He does not hold him there for long, eager to hear more of Poe's voice, but the way that Poe’s body clenches around his dick is mostly worth not hearing him swear.

Soon enough, news comes of another attack by the Resistance, and Hux takes a crop to Poe's feet. It amuses him to watch Poe be forced to crawl for the next several days until his feet heal enough to stand again. The glares Poe sends his way bring a dark warmth to Hux's soul, and he tenderly cards his fingers through Poe's hair as if he was a dog.

The pattern continues, the Resistance attacks and Poe is punished. Hux can see the toll that is being taken on Poe, and is surprised to find that way Poe's fire is slowly being extinguished saddens him. Hux does not like that the pilot brings out such feeling in him, but cannot bring himself to get rid of him. He stretches out next to Poe and traces small patterns over a fading bruise on Poe's cheek. The confusion and fear in Poe's eyes at this simple touch is beautiful. Hux tells him that he is lovely and precious to him when he thinks Poe is asleep. Murmurs soft words against his shaggy, dark curls. He feels the tension creeping back into Poe's shoulders and realizes he was still awake. Hux bruises his knuckles with a backhand across Poe's face. He holds Poe close while holding ice against Poe's swollen cheek.

Hux realizes that he has had Poe for months now. Several long months with many minor victories and as many losses. Several long months of taking pleasure in breaking the pilot down. Several long months of watching as the fire leaves his eyes, little by little. Hux finds that the fire slowly dimming in Poe's eyes is disappointing.

\-------------  
The first few days aboard the Finalizer are mostly a haze of pain and questions for Poe. Finally, after the interrogators have apparently gotten all they want from him, he is moved to what looks like an officers quarters. He does not have much energy at this point but he still puts up a fight when the stormtroopers who had brought him here begin to strip him. They easily keep him under their control and drag him in to the 'fresher where they proceed to give him a thorough cleaning. They do not return his clothes when they have finished. After cuffing his hands behind his back, they secure the cuffs to a small chain connecting to the foot of the bed. Poe falls asleep almost as soon as they move to flank the door.

His captor does not appear until later the next day. It is the General he sort of remembers seeing during his interrogation. The glare the General gives him is so intense that Poe actually bites back a smart comment. Nothing is said beyond the General ordering the stormtroopers to hold Poe still. The brand applied to his arm hurts, but after the amount of torture he has been through in the past few days Poe finds that it is almost tolerable. He still cannot bite back the hiss that escapes him. He does not think much of this if this is supposed to be torture. At least, he does not think much of it until he is told to look at his arm and sees the symbol of the First Order. He is not sure what he had expected but this is...appalling. His eyes meet the General's eyes and shivers at the gleeful look in those green eyes.

Fortunately, the General is away for most of the day, even though Poe spends most of the day on his knees, chained to the bed. The stormtroopers release him so he can eat and relieve himself, then it is right back to the foot of the bed. The nights with General Hux are filled with misery, but nothing so bad as the torture he had been faced with in the interrogation chamber. That is what he tells himself to keep his spirits up when Hux ties him to the bed and violates him. Poe wishes that he would be allowed clothes, at least during the day.

One day, Hux returns earlier than usual. Poe finds himself back in the interrogation room bound face down against the interrogation bed. This time, Hux tells him exactly why he is being whipped. Poe wants to be glad that the resistance has done something against the First Order but after thirty lashes, Poe is wishing on some level that that had cost the First Order a few less personnel. After fifty lashes he is truly wishing that they had been less thorough. After the whipping stops, Poe feels Hux tracing his fingers over his sore back. He does not understand what Hux had been doing until he is back in Hux's quarters and being shown his own back in the mirror. Poe really wonders what Hux's fascination with the putting the First Order mark on him. He glares at his reflection as if that would get the mark off of him. He turns the glare to Hux when he notices that damnably smug and gleeful expression on his face. Hux does not seem fazed. Nor does he let Poe wash himself until after he has been fucked face down on Hux's bed.

Hux is bragging about a First Order victory, insulting the Resistance while he is at it. Poe tells him exactly what he thinks about the First Order and him. It is almost worth the look on Hux's face. The gag, however, gets old fast. But at least his lips are not actually sewn shut. When Hux removes the gag, Poe keeps quiet, not wanting to risk having his mouth sewn shut. He finally cannot keep from giving Hux a piece of his mind when Hux decides to mention another First Order victory while he is once again slaking his lust. His face ends up in the pillows in response. Poe is dizzy by the time Hux lets him breath again.

The next punishment comes in the middle of the night. Hux is called away a few hours after he had returned to his quarters and when he returns Poe finds out just how sensitive the bottoms of his feet are. It hurts too much to stand so he has to crawl for several days. It is not until Hux strokes his hair, much in the same way that one would stroke a pet, that Poe feels some of the fight slip from him.

Poe is not sure how much time has passed, his days and nights a blur of utter boredom, pain, and sex. The punishments from Hux for the Resistance's victories get more creative and painful. More than once, he wakes up in the medical wing of the Finalizer. Hux never lets him take any painkillers, but when the doctors tell him to wait before torturing him more, Hux takes their advice. He had known before he had gone to Jakku that if anything went wrong, no one was coming for him. He had known that but it is beginning to sink in more and more each day. He finds himself wishing that Hux would take a punishment too far and put him out of his misery. He stops talking back as much, does not bother to even glare at Hux as much. It is just too much effort.

Things take a new turn one night when Hux's touch becomes almost gentle. Poe finds that the gentleness is worse than the roughness. Being held and caressed with a modicum of gentleness frightens him more than the threat of violence. It makes Hux seem almost human. Poe closes his eyes and tries to will himself to sleep so he does not have to deal with this. He is almost asleep when he hears Hux murmuring soft words to him. It takes a moment for him to process the words, but when he does he tenses up with terror. The sweet words stop as Hux lurches up to a sitting position. Poe does not even have time to open his eyes before a vicious slap lands on his cheek. Later, Hux pulls him into his lap, arm tight around his waist. The ice feels so good against his swollen cheek that Poe does not resist Hux pressing his head down against his shoulder. He thinks he feels a light kiss being pressed into his hair as he drifts back off to sleep.

Hux's attentions switch back and forth between roughness and gentleness with seemingly no trigger setting off one or the other. Poe finds that it is getting harder to care about anything. Not the pain, not the sweetness. He does not have the energy to struggle when he is being punished or when he is touched like he is a fragile and priceless artifact.

The food placed in front of him goes untouched, just the thought of it turns his stomach. The hunger gnawing his gut barely fazes him. It is after Hux drags him to the medical wing and has him force fed that Poe notices the concern on Hux's face. He cannot bring himself to care about that. Nor can he bring himself to struggle as he is arranged in bed against Hux's chest. Hux's hold is a little too tight but trying to move is too much effort. He eventually falls asleep with Hux's hand in his hair. It almost feels nice. Poe wishes he would stop, though.

\-----------------------

Poe had never known just how sensitive the bottoms of his feet were until the night that Hux decides that he will be punished by having his feet beaten. He is woken from a restless slumber by Hux and a stormtrooper, who pulls him from the bed and forces him face down onto the cold floor. They hogtie him and then the stormtrooper kneels down with a knee between Poe's shoulders to keep him still. The still sensitive scars on Poe's back protest the knee digging into them, but the pain in his back is nothing compared to the agony that follows as Hux takes a crop to his feet.

The bite of Hux's crop is familiar to Poe, but even the time that Hux caught him across the face with it in no way compares to the sting of the crop striking across the balls of his feet and drawing a whimper of pain and surprise from him. He manages to keep quiet except for a muffled groan when the crop lashes against the arches of his feet. But, when Hux brings the crop down across his toes, he cannot hold back a sharp cry of pain.

If asked, Poe would have said that whatever being, deity or evolutionary ancestor, that decided that feet needed to have so many nerve ending should be the one getting this beating. Of course, he is not asked, and if he had been he would not have even gotten the statement out for the pain radiating up from his feet. His attempts to squirm out from under the stormtrooper - maybe to even draw Hux's blow to a more fleshy area of his body that is used to pain - does him no good as he is bound too tightly and the stormtrooper is unyielding.

Poe is vaguely aware at one point of Hux telling him why he is being punished, but Hux's words do not truly register through the pain. Poe would be proud to hear that his squadron is doing well without him if he had actually understood what Hux was telling him.

Finally, the blows stop and the stormtrooper removes his knee from Poe's back. When Hux unties Poe's limbs, they drop limply to the ground. At least until Poe's feet hit the ground. Even though the soles of his feet do not touch the floor, pain still shoots up Poe's legs, and he swiftly swings his legs back up with a grimace. A yelp crosses his lips when Hux gives each of his feet a sharp tap with his hand.

A touch of irritation courses through him when he hears Hux chuckle from somewhere behind him. The lack of sleep and pain keep him from being able to formulate some remark to adequately express his disdain for Hux, but he does manage to give Hux an incredulous and disdainful look when he tells him to come join Hux for a couple hours of sleep.

Poe briefly considers staying put but the thought of Hux deciding that his defiance merits punishment as well driving him to move. Standing is obviously not an option for Poe, so he pushes himself up onto his hands and knees so he can crawl over to the bed. He is altogether too aware of Hux's eyes following him as he makes his way to the bed. Once he has reached his side of the bed, he realizes that he is going to have to put some weight on at least one foot in order to get onto the bed. It takes three tries before he manages to haul himself onto the bed. The look of amusement on Hux's face makes Poe's stomach turn. Thankfully, Hux merely turns the lights out and falls asleep. Poe does not sleep much the rest of the night as even the sheets brushing against his feet is agony. When Hux wakes up and nips at Poe's lower lip in greeting, Poe does not even have the energy to try to bite back.

The next several days are misery as Poe's feet hurt too much to put any weight on, and Hux seems to take great pleasure in forcing Poe to follow him around. At one point even making Poe follow him down the hallway to the officer's mess without even giving him a scrap of clothing to wear. Hux almost lovingly pet his hair in a manner that reminds Poe of the way he would greet a house pet when they return to Hux's quarters. That reminder drives home a point that Poe feels he should have been aware of long before now - the point that all that he is now is a pet for Hux to torment as he will. That realization is the first of many cracks in Poe's walls and the beginning of the end of the fire inside of Poe.

\---------------------

Hux is worried. He does not like to be made to worry. Today is the second day in a row that he has been informed by the stormtroopers guarding Poe that Poe is not eating. That is not something that Hux will stand for. Hux sends for food. When it arrives he tells Poe that if he will not eat on his own then he will be taken to the med bay to be tube fed. Poe merely stares at the plate placed in front of him.

Poe barely fights as he is dragged to the medical ward. Poe hardly even struggles when a medical droid deftly slips a tube through his nose and down to his stomach. Hux strokes Poe's hair while the droid proceeds to feed him. Poe barely reacts to his touch. The urge to slap Poe back to his old, feisty self wells up in Hux even though he knows it would not do any good.

The feeding is nearly over when he hears a familiar, heavy set of footsteps. Hux had been informed that Kylo Ren occasionally raids the med bay for supplies but the timing seems too coincidental. He quickly tries to suppress the anger and worry that Poe's listlessness and apparent hunger strike are causing him, not wanting the force-user to pick up on them. He thinks he feels a subtle probing of his mind - the Supreme Leader's training had evidently paid off if that indeed had been Kylo Ren probing at his mind and not just Hux's imagination. His attention is brought back to Poe and the droid as the droid removes the tube and informs Hux that he can take Poe back to his quarters.

Poe looks like he might vomit if he moves too much, but he looks more aware and willing to cooperate. Hux helps him to his feet, and slowly guides him towards the exit. The hair on the back of Hux's neck stand up and he realizes that Kylo Ren is watching them silently. Hux does not want to add dealing with Ren to his already lousy evening, so he turns his attention back to Poe. He can feel Ren's eyes on them until they pass out of the door and the door closes behind them. Ren's stare leaves Hux with an unsettled feeling, a feeling that Ren knows something that Hux should. It makes Hux even more worried than before. Hux wants to break something. A part of him wants to soothe his plaything and make him better again so that he can see the fire in his eyes again.

The slow walk to Hux's quarters takes a toll on both of them. Poe does not fight when Hux pulls him tight against his side and strokes his hair and much thinner cheek to lull him to sleep. Hux listens to Poe's breath even out in sleep. He stays awake for another couple of hours, absently petting Poe, worrying about everything and nothing, but mostly about how the fire is nearly – if not completely – gone from Poe's eyes.

\----------------

It is just not fair. The point had been to break down the Resistance pilot, to make him yield. Seeing Poe Dameron broken and bending to his will was what Hux wanted, had planned. Of course, Hux's plan seems to have worked a little too well. And it just is not what he wants. He misses the feistiness of the pilot. He misses the smart comments and glares directed at him.

And as good as Poe's mouth feels wrapped around his cock, Hux still misses the times when he would have had to watch for Poe's teeth. Hux slides his fingers through Poe's hair, rather enjoying the way the curls wrap around his fingers. Using his hold, he tugs Poe's head down as far as he can. The feeling of Poe choking around his cock is thrilling but there is still none of the old fire in his eyes when Hux looks down at him. The dull eyes alone are almost enough to make Hux push Poe away from him. Almost. Instead, he holds Poe's head still and thrusts repeatedly as deep as he can until Poe's eyes are watering and Hux can no longer tell that they lack that old fire. Once he has finished, Hux cups Poe's cheeks in his hands and uses his thumbs to wipe the tears away. Hux is grateful when Poe closes his eyes.

He spends the rest of the evening reading reports with Poe kneeling between his legs. He occasionally reaches down to stroke Poe's hair. By the time he is finished, Poe is asleep with his head resting against Hux's thigh. Hux gives Poe's cheek a light tap with his fingertips. Poe looks a tad bit confused when his eyes open. It is an absolutely precious look, and Hux slaps him hard in annoyance. </p><p>Such a slap at one time would have earned Hux a sharp glare and possibly a sharp comment, but now there’s nothing in his eyes. It is disappointing. Hux pushes him away as he stands to get ready for bed. He has to order Poe to get up and prepare for bed, as well. He turns Poe onto his side, facing away from Hux once they are in bed, wanting to pretend for a while that there might be some life left in Poe.

\---------

The fire is gone from Poe's eyes. It has been for some time now. Hux hates the dullness that greets him whenever Poe's eyes meet his. Nothing he tries succeeds in bring even a spark back into the other man's eyes. It is unnerving to see Poe so utterly broken and somehow more lifeless than most corpses Hux has seen. Hux cannot stand the sight of him any longer.

Hux pours glasses of brandy for both himself and Poe once he has returned to his quarters after a short detour to the medical bay. Being a general has its perks, such as being able to requisition items from the medical wing with no questions asked. Something he has rarely ever needed to do, but now finds ridiculously convenient. He guides Poe to the couch and sits next to him before handing one of the glasses to him. Poe's fingers wrap around the glass, but Poe merely stares down at it resting in his lap.

Hux takes his time finishing his drink, while avoiding looking at Poe. He sets his empty glass on the table and turns his attention to the other man. "Drink up," he murmurs, wrapping his hand around Poe's to bring the glass up to his lips. Poe obediently sips the brandy, a few drops spilling down his chin when he winces slightly from the burn of the liquor. Hux wipes them away with his thumb after setting the empty glass down on the table next to his.

"Come here," Hux says, guiding Poe's head down to rest on his lap facing him. He strokes Poe's hair and cheek gently. "Go to sleep," he orders quietly. Poe closes his eyes without looking up Hux. His eyes never open again.

It takes nearly an hour for the poison to work, Poe's breathing slowing and growing more ragged until finally it stops. Hux's eyes never leave Poe's face all the while. After taking a brief pause to check for a pulse in Poe's neck and failing to find even a hint of one, Hux continues to pet his hair for a while, thinking that death has not really made that much difference, after all. Death certainly has not taken away any spark from Poe's body, as there had been no spark left to take.

Finally, he shifts Poe's head so he can stand up and call for someone to come remove Poe's body from his quarters. When he does so, he absently notes that Poe's mouth has gone slack and a small amount of saliva has dripped onto his pants. He does not bother to wipe it away. Hux does not watch the 'troopers remove Poe's corpse, deciding to wait in the 'fresher to avoid watching them move his limp body.

When he hears the outer doors slide shut, signaling that the stormtroopers have left, he returns to the living area. The living area is quiet and all at once feels too large and empty without Poe's presence. Even his listless presence had filled the room, something that Hux realizes now that his presence is gone and will never again be back.

Hux grabs the glass that had held the poison for Poe to drink and throws it against the wall, followed quickly by the other glass. Part of him wants Poe back, part of him is relieved that he is gone. He cannot decide which feeling is stronger and worse. He grabs the bottle of brandy and begins to drink himself into a stupor in a futile attempt to wash away the regret and anger. In a drunken fit, he trashes his quarters that night, and ends the night by passing out in the middle of the floor. His sleep is fitful and hardly worthy of being called 'sleep'.

Morning brings only a remarkably horrific hangover and an even deeper feeling of regret. After catching a glimpse of himself and his completely unkempt appearance, Hux smashes the mirror in his bathroom with his fist and even the pain of a dislocated finger and glass embedded in his hand does nothing to dampen the regret and sorrow he feels at having killed His Poe.

\----------------

Alternate Ending:

A couple of days submerged in a bacta tank heals the worst of Poe's physical wounds. His mental wounds take much longer to even begin to heal. He will not talk to anyone, not even to banter or flirt with the medical staff like he used to. The medical staff is more than unnerved by the way Poe passively allows them to do anything that needs to be done. Food set out for him goes untouched, leading to regular tube feedings. Doctor Kalonia decides to leave the feeding tube in after the third day when he merely stared at the plate of food set out for him. The other pilots have even had Poe's favorite dishes sent in with no sign of interest from Poe.

A watch is kept on Poe day and night. BB-8 refuses to leave Poe's side, and the pilots formerly under Poe's command visit as often as they are able to. Snap comes to visit Poe in the evenings and stays until either Poe has fallen asleep or the medical staff sends him off to get some decent rest. He tells Poe about the latest missions, focusing more on anecdotes about the other pilots than on the actual fighting. Even his best efforts at story-telling go with no sign of recognition from Poe, but Snap does not give up on his efforts at regaling Poe with the exploits of the Resistance pilots. Once Poe has fallen asleep, Snap will take his leave, giving BB-8 a comforting pat and smile before he does heads back to his own quarters.

The first sign of awareness from Poe comes when Snap is visiting him one evening. Snap sits close to Poe's bed but still far enough away that Poe will not feel closed in if he notices Snap. He is once again telling Poe about the latest exploits of his pilots. Poe actually looks up at him as he explains the latest bet going amongst the pilots. Snap is thrilled to see Poe peek up at him even if he will not meet his eyes. When the medical staff come to kick Snap out as it is well beyond a reasonable hour, Poe looks back down at his lap and ignores Snap bidding him a good night. It breaks Snap's heart to have his friend back from the dead and yet be barely even have a shadow of his former vibrancy.

  
A few weeks after Poe is rescued, General Organa and Doctor Kalonia decide that he should be transferred so that his recovery can be unimpeded by the stress of the base. It is decided that Poe will go to Yavin 4 so that his father can take care of him. Snap vehemently insists on accompanying him. General Organa grants him two weeks of leave. No one needs to ask if BB-8 is going with Poe as they all know that the droid would undoubtedly stowaway if they tried to send Poe away without his droid.

Kes is at the landing strip to meet them when they land. He hurries over to the ship as soon as they land. Kes hastily greets Snap once he is out of the ship, solemnly thanking him for bringing Poe home. Snap returns the handshake offered by Kes before turning to help BB-8 out of the vessel. The droid gives an acknowledgement to Kes who fondly returns it. BB-8 then turns back to look in the ship and chirps at Poe to lure him out while Snap fetches their bags and Kes hovers anxiously nearby.

Finally, Poe climbs out of the vessel. Kes’ heart sinks as he takes in Poe’s appearance. His son is so much thinner and older looking than he looked the last time that Kes had seen him. Worst of all is the haunted look in Poe’s eyes when he briefly makes eye contact with Kes before dropping his gaze back to the ground. Kes is not even sure that Poe recognized him. He cannot help but step closer and reach out towards his son.

Snap feels his heart break to see the helpless, heartbroken expression on Kes’ face when Poe flinches away from him when he gets too close. Snap cannot imagine having his own son afraid of him for any reason. Kes reluctantly steps away to give Poe his space when all he really wants to do is wrap his son up in his arms and make everything better.

Kes leads the trio to his speeder and helps load the few bags into the back while Poe hangs back and stays quiet. Poe passively slides into the passenger seat when he is led to it, not even cheekily offering to drive the speeder for his ‘old man’ like he normally does. Snap loads BB-8 into the speeder before climbing into the back.

The trip to Kes’ home is short, quiet, and uncomfortable for everyone. Kes continuously glances over at his son who is sitting quietly in the seat next to him and looking down at his hands resting in his lap. Poe’s continued silence as they head towards the Dameron home deeply upsets Kes. The only time that Kes can remember Poe being this quiet was after his mother had died.

Rooms are already ready for Poe and Snap when they arrive at Kes’ home. Snap takes his bag to his rooms when they arrive, while Kes takes Poe’s bags to Poe’s childhood bedroom. BB-8 trails after Poe and Kes, chirping softly while taking in things. It had been hard for Kes to go through Poe’s room and make sure that there was not anything sitting out that Poe could hurt himself with. He is grateful that Poe has such a dedicated droid that will help him keep watch over his son.

The first time that Kes catches sight of what he can only assume is a brand on Poe’s arm, he has to fight to not be sick. The scarring has faded some with bacta treatments but there is no doubt that brand is in the shape the First Order’s symbol. The thought of someone branding his son like cattle makes him want to murder someone – namely a certain general in the First Order. And for that person to mark Poe with the symbol of the thing that he had fought so hard against…

Kes has to slip away for a few minutes to calm himself, lest he frighten his son with his anger. He asks Snap to make sure Poe does not have trouble bathing before practically darting for the back door. Snap gives him an understanding look that both comforts and annoys Kes.

The air outside is cool and crisp, clearing Kes’ head somewhat. As he looks out over the land, he recalls the time just after the war when he and Shara had finally managed to return and be parents to Poe. The memories of Poe climbing trees and zipping around the yard with his beloved model X-wings and A-wings would have normally brought a fond smile to Kes’ face. Now it just saddens him deeply to think of the bright, infectious energy that carried over from his son’s youth into his adulthood. He clenches a fist and resists the urge to punch the side of the house. It takes a few minutes but eventually Kes feels calm enough to return.

Snap is hovering outside the ‘fresher door, waiting for a signal from BB-8 that his help is needed. Deciding that Snap has things well in hand, Kes decides to make dinner for the three of them. He tells Snap to bring Poe to the kitchen when he is done in the shower. As Snap voices his acknowledgement, Kes is again struck by a feeling of deep gratitude towards his son’s squad mate. He doubts that he could ask for better friends for Poe. As he heads towards the kitchen, a small voice pipes up that better friends would not have left Poe for so long. Kes stamps down on it while starting to heat a light soup that Poe has always enjoyed. He knows that Poe’s squadron and even General Leia would have raised hell had they known that Poe was even still alive.

As the stovetop heats under the pot, Kes cannot help but be reminded of the mark on Poe’s arm and how it got there. It kills some of his appetite to think about his son’s injuries and how he got them. Luckily, before his thoughts can turn any darker, Snap and Poe enter the kitchen with BB-8 on their heels. The awful brand mark is fortunately covered once again by Poe’s clean shirt. Something which Kes is grateful for as he is not sure that he could handle seeing it again just yet. Kes hopes that he manages to convey his gratitude in the sad smile and nod he gives Snap as the younger man pulls out a chair for Poe to take. When Poe slumps into his seat, hand in his lap and gaze on the tabletop, Kes misses the way Poe used to rest his elbows on the table while resting his chin on his hand.

Somehow, Kes and Snap manage to make some idle talk as the soup heats. The absence of input from Poe is felt heavily by both men. Even BB-8 seems to be anxious for some reaction from Poe, what with the way that the droid’s gaze lingers on Poe in the small pauses in the conversation.

After several long minutes, the soup is ready to be eaten. A few chirps from BB-8 encourage Poe to pick up the spoon and slowly start sipping at the soup. Kes and Snap mostly stay silent and eat slowly, hoping that without distractions Poe will actually eat his fill. It seems to work, as Poe eventually finishes off the bowl and sets his spoon down. He does not respond when Kes asks if he would like more. Kes is not hungry anymore, and when prompted, Snap politely declines a second helping. With Snap’s help, Kes has the kitchen cleaned in a timely fashion.

Not much later, the three are in bed. Kes double and then triple checks that the comm link to BB-8 is on in case Poe wakes up in the middle of the night. The image of the brand marring Poe’s arm resurfaces as Kes finally turns the lights out and drops back onto his bed. Kes fretfully tosses and turns a few times, trying to rid himself of the horrible image by thinking of the last time Poe was home for a visit.

The mostly happy memory does nothing to quell the emotions raging in Kes. It just reminds him of how deeply affected Poe has been by his abduction and torture. Even though it has been years since Shara’s death, Kes finds himself missing his late wife. He feels that surely Shara would know how to reach Poe. Although, a small part of him is glad that she is not there to see how hurt her little boy is. He grabs the spare pillow and hugs it close, not sure whether he is wishing more that it was his wife or his son that he was embracing as he begins to sob quietly. Sleep does not come soon enough for him.

The two weeks leave that Snap had been granted pass far too quickly. Kes finds that without Snap around to counteract Poe’s silence, the house is just too quiet. The only times Kes hears his son’s voice is late at night when Poe has a nightmare and wakes up screaming and crying. On those nights, Kes has to fight to not bundle Poe up in his arms and rock him to sleep like he did when Poe was little.

One such night, just over two weeks after Snap has left, Kes again finds himself in Poe’s room in the middle of the night. Poe is on his knees next to the bed, head bowed and arms wrapped around himself as he shakes and sobs. The sound of the harsh sobs cuts Kes to the bone as he slowly makes his way forward. He moves as quietly and slowly as possible so as not to startle Poe.

A couple of feet away from Poe is BB-8, rocking back and forth slightly in agitation. As he crouches down next to the little droid, he murmurs Poe’s name but gets no response. He again murmurs Poe’s name. When Poe flinches slightly, a few tears fall from Kes’ eyes. BB-8 chirps sadly up at Kes, prompting Kes to rest a comforting hand on him.

By the time Poe’s sobs finally begin to ebb, Kes’ knees are killing him. He is sure that Poe cannot be any more comfortable than he is. Still, he makes no move to leave, not wanting to frighten his son. It takes several more long minutes before Poe lifts his head and stares at Kes with confused and frightened eyes. He looks like an absolute mess. Before Kes can say anything, Poe lets out another sob and whimpers “Dad.”

The fact that Poe has just spoken for the first time since his return almost does not register with Kes. Poe’s voice is so rough and broken sounding from crying and disuse that Kes barely even recognizes it. Finally, it clicks that Poe actually recognizes him. “Hey, Son,” is all that he manages to say as tears fall freely from his eyes. Poe lets his gaze drop back to his lap and seems to retreat back into himself. The lack of response saddens Kes, but is not unexpected.

With some help from BB-8, Kes manages to get Poe somewhat cleaned up and tucked back into bed. As Kes gets ready to head back to his own room he bids Poe a goodnight. He lingers for a moment in the hope that Poe will respond, but he is not surprised when the only indication that Poe heard him is a brief moment of Poe’s eyes meeting his. He gives BB-8 a tired smile when the droid bumps against his leg and chirps a reassurance up at him.

As Kes makes his way back to his room, that single word spoken by Poe plays over and over in his mind. He can still barely believe that Poe’s once rich, chipper voice now sounds so rough and broken. A part of him fears that Poe will never fully recover, but a tiny spark of hope that Poe may finally be on the mend has been ignited in Kes’ chest. If nothing else, Poe recognizing him has to be a good thing. As he climbs back into his bed and struggles to fall back to sleep, he clings to that spark of hope.


End file.
